Confirmation November 18th at 6.30pm with Bishop John

Confirmation marks the point in the Christian journey at which you affirm for yourself the faith into which you have been baptized and your intention to live a life of committed discipleship. This
affirmation is confirmed through prayer and the laying on of hands by the confirming bishop. The Church also asks God to give you power through the Holy Spirit to enable you to live in the way of
Jesus.

What Happens at the Service

There will be a rehearsal before the confirmation service so that you understand everything that happens in the service. We will make sure you know where to sit and when you need to move. Some
parts of the service will be for the whole congregation to join in; some will be for just you and the other confirmation candidates to say.

Most of the confirmation service will normally take place at the front of the church, but for the renewal of baptism promises, candidates may be asked by the bishop to gather around the font. (The
font is a large basin on a pedestal, containing the water for baptism.)

The bishop will speak to every candidate by name saying:

(name), God has called you by name and made you his own.

He then lays his hand of the head of each saying:

Confirm, O Lord, your servant with your Holy Spirit.

Making decisions and promises

When you were baptized as a child, your parents and godparents were asked to declare publicly on your behalf that they believed in God and that they would bring you up to follow Jesus. They were
asked to answer, on your behalf, that you had decided to turn away from everything which is evil or sinful and instead to turn towards Christ. At confirmation, you will renew these decisions and
promises.

The declarations made by you will be made in front of the church congregation; the local Christian community will promise to support you and pray for you.

The sign of the cross - the bishop will make the sign of the cross on your forehead with oil. This is a sign of the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit. It is like an invisible
badge to show that Christians are united with Christ and must not be ashamed to stand up for their faith in him.